Wal-Mart advertises in Vogue

Wal-Mart seems to be doing something even more off the wall! Wal–Mart jumps into the couture market ads in Vogue magazine-the fashion merchandising bible for the well-healed and fashion-conscious. Wal-Mart just bought advertising space but advertising doesn’t necessarily give you credibility. Wal-Mart continues to focus on creating a more fashionable image for itself and the garments on its racks, launching an ad campaign in the May issue of Vogue shot by photographer Patrick Demarchelier. But because Wal-Mart also didn’t want to forsake its emphasis on “real” women, it chose not to use professional models for the shoot and instead picked actual Wal-Mart shoppers, says company spokeswoman Linda Blakely. One of the women pictured in their ads is Kristina Deignan, who was Mrs. Virginia in 2003, and the first runner up at Mrs. USA pageant Wal-Mart is seeking to portray stylishly but “attainable looks.” In a unique twist, they also encouraged their “models” to bring some of their favorite pieces from their own wardrobe to the photoshoot, too. Evolution is essential to survive in retail. Wal-Mart is reserving fresh, higher-margin merchandise, and trying to lure wealthier women to shop there, to overcome its sluggish same-store sales.

Wal-Mart is the world’s biggest retailer and to break into fashion is in opposition to the brand’s core identity. Not to mention a strong competitor like Target, who is already the fashion king, blocking its way!
Reading Vogue is not about what you can afford it is about what you can’t afford. And even if you do buy clothes at Wal-Mart you are not going to suddenly feel like it is high-fashion just because they ran advertising in Vogue. You buy clothes at Wal-Mart because they have low prices!
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